Ratings98
Average rating4.1
“A blistering plot and crisp writing make The Night Swim an unputdownable read.” –Sarah Pekkanen, bestselling author of The Wife Between Us In The Night Swim, a new thriller from Megan Goldin, author of the “gripping and unforgettable” (Harlan Coben) The Escape Room, a true crime podcast host covering a controversial trial finds herself drawn deep into a small town’s dark past and a brutal crime that took place there years before. Ever since her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall has become a household name—and the last hope for people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help. The new season of Rachel's podcast has brought her to a small town being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. A local golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season 3 a success, Rachel throws herself into her investigation—but the mysterious letters keep coming. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered—and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody in town wants to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases—and a revelation that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved. Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?
Featured Series
2 primary booksRachel Krall is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2020 with contributions by Megan Goldin.
Reviews with the most likes.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Night Swim, both in its artful storytelling and commentary on the way rape culture has infected our society. Although some of the big reveals and mysterious elements of this novel were quite predictable for seasoned thriller-readers, I still feel that this was an exemplary read. The non-biased perspective of Rachel, our main character and the producer of a crime podcast, added a grounding element to the story. Her voice, both in the chapters from her perspective and the podcast chapters, sought justice and spoke volumes beyond the storyline. One of the most important sentiments of the podcast chapters was Rachel's confusion as to why murder can be seen as objectively bad, but rape is muddled in shades of gray. Overall, this book takes a nuanced and important view on rape culture, our justice system and much more, all behind the guise of a well-written fictional mystery. The enthralling nature of the story certainly makes the content more digestible, and I hope this novel can help open readers' minds to the sexism that pervades every inch of our society.
I finished this in one day! I was really invested in the story.
It's a very atmospheric read and sometimes it was hard to listen to it but I just couldn't stop. The two timelines and the two cases were enthralling.
I also loved the podcast parts! I think it's a very unique book but it's not an easy book to read/listen.
There are trigger warnings for pretty much everything.
The ending had a few surprising details. Overall, I really enjoyed this one.